


DR Next Gen: Kazuki

by Capnii



Series: Kazukibou [10]
Category: Dangan Ronpa - All Media Types
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-07-13
Updated: 2018-07-28
Packaged: 2019-06-09 14:41:15
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 4
Words: 7,688
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15269676
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Capnii/pseuds/Capnii
Summary: The story of Kazuki Naegi, and his first case as a detective.





	1. Chapter 1

My name is Kazuki Naegi, and I am a detective. Despite my family name, I’m the next in line for succeeding the Kirigiri line of detectives. However, as a member of the Kirigiri family, I am a disgrace. My mother became a detective when she was 13, and with a better rank than me. Before her was my great-grandfather, Fuhito, who would have had the highest rank possible. I’m far behind them, and I’ll never catch up. 

 

To make things worse, I screwed up the first case I ever had as a detective. 

 

* * *

 

I had wanted to be a detective for as long as I could remember. My mother would give me puzzles and riddles that a four-year-old could solve. Each time I got a question right, she would praise me and tell me how proud she was. Sometimes my great-grandfather would watch me when my parents were busy with work. His puzzles were tougher than my mother’s, but I still was able to solve them. Great-Grandfather would praise me more and more with each puzzle I solved. 

 

When I was old enough to understand my mother and great-grandfather’s work, I immediately told my mother that I wanted to grow up to be just like them. That was the real start of my training. Every day after school, I would walk to my mom’s detective agency, and she would give me lessons on detective work. I was so fascinated with how detectives would analyze evidence, and how each evidence would come together like puzzle pieces. When I learned that solving cases meant putting bad guys in jail, I thought I was one day going to be a hero. 

 

My training wasn’t as brutal as my mother’s. She only had me study one hour per evening, despite my protests to keep going. Some evenings we wouldn’t study at all, such as when my Aunt Komaru, or Aoi and Mei would visit. Some of my favorite evenings, however, were when Great-Grandfather Fuhito would visit. I was determined to show him how much I had learned, and how I was going to be a great detective just like him. He would smile and pat my head, but never said a word.

 

My mother became an official detective at the age of thirteen. When I turned thirteen, I felt I was ready to do the same. I walked into her detective agency, looked up at her straight in the eyes, and said I was going to become a detective that day. My mother looked at me, possibly surprised by my sudden assertiveness. He shocked face turned blank, and she said six words that never left my consciousness. 

 

“I’m sorry, but you’re not ready.”

 

My heart sank. I was expecting her to smile, and tell me what the next step was to becoming a detective. I was ready to take any upcoming challenges just as she did at that age. Yet, I did not want to give up. I was positive she was wrong, and that I was ready. I begged her to let me try for my DSC number. I refused to leave her alone until she finally gave me the option. Much to my surprise, my begging worked. 

 

I was to take some sort of written exam. I didn’t know what all would be on it, so I studied all the material given to me. I crammed so much information into my brain in one night. Each word burned into my eyes as I focused. The time sped up like it never did before, and I had no idea what time it was. Before I knew it, I was sitting at a table, pencil in hand, ready to take the next step into being a detective. That day, I was ready to prove my mother wrong.

 

That day, I did not prove my mother wrong. My late night studying had exhausted me, and I ended up drifting into sleep multiple times during the exam. I mixed up certain questions with one another, and there were a number I didn’t even know. Needless to say, I failed. At the time, I didn’t understand why I wasn’t ready to be a detective. I thought I had the same training my mother had. I was sure I did everything right prior, so why did I fail?

 

It took a lecture from my mother to tell me exactly why. When she was young, her grandfather would put her through rigorous training. He told her how detective work came before everything else, even family. When she trained me, she never put detective work above family. The free time I had playing with friends, and spending time with family, was free time she didn’t have growing up. She wanted me to have a childhood that she couldn’t have.

 

Despite her reasoning, I hated not becoming a detective at thirteen. When I turned fourteen, I talked to my mother once more, only for her to once again say I wasn’t ready. One year had passed, and yet somehow I still wasn’t ready to be a detective. I didn’t understand why one more year of training and learning still hadn’t prepared me enough. I thought I was supposed to come from a long line of intelligent and talented detectives. I didn’t know what was holding me back from what should be my potential. 

 

In frustration, I asked my mother when I would be ready to become a detective. She put her finger to her chin in thought. Time always seemed to stop whenever she was lost in thought. When she finished thinking, she nodded her head and told me I would be ready before my fifteenth birthday. I sighed in both frustration and relief. I was so close to becoming a detective, but it took me two extra years. 

 

On my fifteenth birthday, my stomach churned in anxiety. I had taken that damned exam a few days ago, and was still waiting the results. My mother was nowhere to be found when I had woken up that morning; my father said she had been gone since dawn, and would return later in the day. My father and younger sister tried their hardest to take my mind off of where Mom was, but to no avail. I had a feeling my mother was somewhere doing something that had to do with my exam results. 

 

That evening, I was greeted by a surprise party my parents had planned. Friends and family were all gathered together to celebrate my birthday. In the back of the room was my mother. She held a thin, medium-sized package. I figured inside the gift was some sort of clothing, which were needed since I recently had a sudden growth spurt. As I walked towards her, everybody’s eyes were on us, as if they knew something was about to happen.

 

“Happy Birthday, Kazuki,” my mother said. “I’m sorry I haven’t seen you all day until now; I’ve been busy.”

 

“Party planning?” I asked.

 

“That, and,” she handed the gift over to me, “It took a while to get this done.”

 

With bated breath, I opened her gift. My heart pounded as I saw the midnight blue worsted wool suit jacket neatly folded in the box. On top of the jacket were a pair of black leather gloves. I picked the gloves off to try them on, only for something to fall out of them. I knelt down to pick up the item, only to immediately drop it again. It landed on the floor, face-up, and anyone close to me could see it.

 

It was an ID card. It said, “Kazuki Naegi. DSC 959.”

 

DSC stands for “Detective Shelf Collection.” This was an easy way to sort and classify detectives, so each detective was put on cases that were of their proficiency. Each detective’s DSC number stood for their profession, and ranking. The first number on a person’s rank, determines what their specialty was. 

 

The number nine represented homicide detectives. The second number went into more detail regarding the first number’s specialty. For example, I was more proficient in murders that happened during burglary, and drug deals. However, I had trouble with locked-room murders. 

 

The last number represented your rank in your department, or field of work. With my last number being nine, it meant I was on the lowest rank a registered detective could have. Getting a nine when you first become a detective was common; my mother had a rank nine when she started. The only difference between my starting rank and my mother’s, was the middle number. Mine was five, and hers was one.

When it came to rank, the lower the number, the better the rank is. The best of the best detectives had zeroes on their DSC numbers. The best detectives in the world, the ones considered legendary, have the triple zero rank. Triple zero rank meant the detective was a master at everything. I dreamed of having rank 000. 

 

I was now an official detective, and was going to work alongside my mother at her detective agency. I couldn’t wait to get started on my first case. I was going to show the world that I, Kazuki Naegi, was going to be the best detective of my generation. I was going to be a detective like the ones in my favorite books. My name would be known like Hercule Poiroit, or Sherlock Holmes. I would become a legendary detective, like my mother, and great-grandfather. 

 

I had been waiting for what seemed like ages for my great-grandfather to visit. I couldn’t wait to show him my ID, and what I thought was an impressive DSC number for someone my age. I couldn’t wait for him to congratulate me and tell me how proud he was, like when I solved his puzzles when I was little. Great-Grandfather took the ID card from my hands, adjusted his glasses, and looked at it in depth. During the time he looked at the ID, not once did he smile. 

 

When he handed the card back, he said, “How disappointing.”

 

“What, what do you mean, Great-Grandfather?” I asked.

 

He replied, with a gruff, “You spent two extra years getting this, only to get a disappointing ranking. Your mother’s rank was 919 when she was only thirteen. You shouldn’t be proud of something like this.”

 

My heart sank. What I thought was the best moment in my life, heck, the best birthday present I could ever have, was nothing. I tried my hardest to fight the tears in my eyes, so I wouldn’t cry in front of my great-grandfather. 

 

Thankfully, my mother was there to come to my rescue. She stood behind me, and though I couldn’t see her, I could tell she glared at my great-grandfather with her arms crossed. “Grandfather,” she said. “You have no right to criticize Kazuki’s ranking when you don’t believe in the ranking system itself.”

 

“While I do not believe in the ranking,” he continued, “A Kirigiri detective must have the best of the best rankings in their department.”

 

“I didn’t have the best when I was registered.”

 

“You were only thirteen, Kyoko.”

 

“And Kazuki is fifteen.”

 

“He’s fifteen with a lower rank than what you had at thirteen. Your rank rose by the time you turned fifteen.”

 

“How many fifteen-year-old detectives do you see running around?” asked Kyoko. “Fifteen is an astonishing age for a detective.”

 

“Not for a Kirigiri detective.”

 

It was at that moment in time, I took my ID card, and dashed into my bedroom. I couldn’t stand to hear that man’s voice any longer. Tears flooded my cheeks as my eyes focused on my DSC number, one I thought was impressive at first. I wanted to throw my ID out the window, or cut it into pieces, but it wouldn’t do any good. Even without my card, I was still registered in the Detective Library, and I would still have the same DSC number. Once again, I had felt like a failure, and a disgrace. 

 

I expected my mother to come in and talk to my about what had just happened, but instead, my father, Makoto, knocked on the door. He walked into my room and smiled as if he thought I’d smile back at him. For the brief moment the door was open, I could still hear my mother and great-grandfather debating with one another. 

 

“Hey, Kazuki,” my father said as he closed the door. “Are you okay?”

 

I shook my head. “I failed again. I can’t do anything right!” With rage, I threw the ID card against my bedroom wall. 

 

My father sat down next to me on my bed, and put his arm around my shoulder’s. “You didn’t fail,” he said. “You succeeded. You’re a detective now!”

 

“Great-Grandfather doesn’t think so. He said my rank is a disappointment to the Kirigiri family.”

 

“Well, one thing’s for sure, is you’re not a disappointment to the Naegi family. You should have seen the look on your mother’s face when she found out you passed your exams.”

 

“Did you see the look on Great-Grandfather’s face?”

 

“Fuhito isn’t the easiest person to please. He’s, well, he’s a bit of a hard-ass.”

 

“A bit?”

 

“Alright, he’s probably the biggest hard-ass I’ve ever met.” My father pulled me closer in a one-armed hug. “Kazuki, everybody is proud of you.”

 

“Not everybody.”

 

“Fuhito is only one person, compared to all your family, and friends. We are all amazed at what you’ve accomplished, and can’t wait to see what you’ll do in the future. Even you were proud of yourself when you found out became a detective. You should continue to be proud of yourself, that way you can continue to grow and be the detective you want to be.”

 

“I’ll never be good enough for Great-Grandfather, though. I’ll always be a disgrace him.”

 

“Kazuki, believe me, you’re nowhere near being a disgrace to Fuhito.” With one last pat on the back, my father stood up from my bed. “Be the detective  _ you _ want to be, not what Fuhito wants. Show him that you aren’t the detective he thinks you are, but the detective you know you are.”

 

“But what if I don’t know what kind of detective I am?”

 

“You know, Kazuki.”

 

“I don’t.”

 

My father shook his head. “Yes, you do. You are a detective better than who Fuhito thinks you are. Prove him wrong.”

 

As I laid wake in my bed that night, my father’s words swarmed my mind. He told me to prove to my great-grandfather that I was a better detective than he thought I was. I was  to prove to him that I was, in fact, worthy of being a Kirigiri detective. I pictured my great-grandfather’s face, and my nose scrunched up in disgust. My father was right, and I was going to show my great-grandfather just who I really was.


	2. Chapter 2

The very next day, I went to get my hair cut. During my studies, my bangs would consistently get in my line of sight, and I was sure when I finally worked the field, they’d get in the way again. I went from (as some would say) looking almost exactly like my dad, to looking like my dad but with my mother’s bangs. For me, I thought my new haircut made me look mature, and someone deserving of being a detective. 

 

The day after that, when classes were over, I made my way over to my mother’s detective agency to start my career. There was a stride in each of my steps, even when I stepped into the building. My mother looked up from her desk when she heard the door closed. She smiled at me, and gestured me to come over by her. 

 

I had been on the job for only five minutes, and I thought it was awesome. Now that I worked at the detective agency, I had access to case files not available to the public. Closed cases, open cases, and even cold cases (given to the detective agency) were now in my hands, and I couldn’t wait to read them all. After the short tour was over, she led me to what now was my very own desk. 

 

After I sat down in my comfy work chair, I asked my mother when I would work on the field for the first time. She said she was waiting for the right one. The next day I asked if there was a case, and she said there wasn’t one yet. Day after day, I asked her if there was a case, and the answer was always, “Not yet.” A week had passed, and there still wasn’t a case for me. I began to grow bored of reading old case files. I tried solving the cold cases, but there seemed to always be at least one clue missing. I figured there’d never be a case for me, and that perhaps I was a disappointment, like my great-grandfather said. 

 

I was going to give up when my mother finally came to my desk and said she and I were going out on the field. On the car ride to the scene of the murder, I read up on the victim. His name was Yuichi Sakamoto. He was only forty-years-old. His daughter, Kotone, was the one who found him dead. When she called the police, she said he had been shot. 

 

Nerves started to creep up the closer we got to the Sakomoto home. My heart began to pound as I saw the police cars in front of the house. Any excitement I had to go on my first case quickly began to fade. Reality finally came to me when I remembered I’d be investigating a  _ murder _ . Thankfully my legs still worked when I got out of the car. My mother stood next to me, and placed her gloved hand on my back. Now she had to look up to look me in the eyes. She didn’t smile at me, but she assured me that I would do just fine. I could only nod. 

 

We crossed the police line and entered the house. Officers stood in the kitchen and talked about the murder over coffee. I could only focus on the word, “brutal.” My mother and I walked into the hallway, and it was then I started to smell the disgusting stench of death. I plugged my nose with my hand, and took a step back. I walked away from the stench, took a deep breath, and went back towards my mother. 

 

Flashes from cameras were coming from the furthest room on the right; where the body lay. We entered the bedroom, and the corpse was covered by a sheet. I had seen pictures of corpses from so many case files, I thought I was ready for the sheet to be lifted away. My mother walked forward, and removed the sheet.

 

Blood was everywhere, and from the looks of it, so was Yuichi Sakamoto’s brain. His eyelids were open, but his eyes had rolled to the back of his head. The smell of his rotting body seemed even worse when the sheet was removed. I couldn’t remember much after seeing the body, except for the fact that I ran into the bathroom to throw up. Then, I woke up outside the house. The first thing I saw was a girl looking down at me. 

 

“You’re awake!” exclaimed the girl. 

 

Groggily, I asked, “Where am I?”

 

“You’re outside my house.” The girl helped me up from the ground. Right away, I noticed I was outside the Sakomoto household. I looked back at the girl.

 

“You’re house? Then you must be-”

 

“Kotone Sakomoto, yes.” 

 

My cheeks flushed a bright pink. Kotone was a year older than me, but she looked like she could be eighteen. She had fiery red hair that barely touched her shoulders. She had blue eyes like I had never seen before. What stood out to me the most was her smile. Kotone Sakomoto was breathtakingly beautiful, and I fell hook, line, and sinker.

 

“S-Sakamoto,” I stuttered, “Do you know what happened?”

 

“You gonna ask me questions without telling me your name first?”

 

“O-Oh. Um, my name is Kazuki Naegi.” 

 

“Naegi? Hey, I know that name! You’re the son of the guy who defeated Junko Enoshima all those years ago!” 

 

“Y-Yeah, Makoto Naegi is my father.” 

 

“That’s so cool!”

 

“You seem...rather peppy for someone whose dad was murdered.”

 

“That’s because I already know who did it.”

 

“Huh?”

 

“Yep, I already know. I also know that person will be put to justice. My dad always told me not to mourn death, but to be happy that the person lived and was in your life.”

 

“But still you can grieve a little bit.”

 

“Already did.”

 

“Who...who do you think killed your father?”

 

“My uncle.”

 

Kotone answered so fast, and so certain that you didn’t really have time to doubt her idea. However, with how much she smiled, and how her feet danced around the grass as she spoke, I couldn’t help but feel a tad suspicious of her. My mother once said the person that reports a dead body usually is the killer. At the time, I really didn’t want to believe a girl like her could be capable of murder. 

 

Before I could straighten my mind to ask her questions regarding the case, my mother had stepped out of the house and made her way towards me. Her stride made her look like she didn’t have a care in the world, but I knew she had to have been worried about me. 

 

“Are you feeling better?” my mother asked me. She faced me in a way that made it look as if Kotone didn’t exist.

 

“I think so. What happened to me?”

 

“After seeing the body, you ran out. I went to go find you, and I saw you passed out next to the toilet.”

 

My face flushed a brighter red. “I started my career off well,” I grumbled. 

 

“Everybody has that reaction when they see a corpse for the first time.”

 

“Even you?”

 

My mother paused. “Well, we got as much info as we could here. It’s time to go back to the office.”

 

“Wh-What?” I shouted. “But I didn’t get to investigate the body.”

 

“Homicide is unfortunately common. There’s always next time.” 

 

“But what am I gonna do now? This was supposed to be my first case.”

 

“You’re still on the case, Kazuki. An important part of being a detective is solving the case. I saw you talking to the victim’s daughter. Did she have any insight?”

 

“She said her uncle is the killer.” 

 

My mother placed a finger to her chin. “She should come in for questioning, and find the location of her uncle.”

 

“Can, can I question her?” 

 

“Of course. Remember to take notes as she talks to you. No doubt she’ll be emotional due to her father’s death. You have to remember to hide your emotions. Emotions can keep you from the truth. Be careful.”

 

“She seems a bit energetic for someone mourning her father’s death.”

 

“Is that so? Look into her, Kazuki. She may be a suspect.”

 

“B-But, Mom! She’s only a teenager!”

 

“Kazuki.” My mother looked at me dead in the eyes. “Being a teenager has nothing to do with being a murder suspect.” 

 

I bit the inside of my lip and thought about how stupid it was for me to say that, especially in front of my mother. “I’m sorry.”


	3. Chapter 3

Sitting in a room with a girl has always put me on edge. It didn’t matter that the two of us sat in an interrogation room, with a camera watching our every move. At that time in my life, Kotone Sakomoto was the most beautiful girl I had ever met, and I was sure I’d stumble on my words when I talked to her about her father’s murder. However, I was a detective, and a detective always has to do their job. 

 

“I’m glad you’re the one questioning me, Naegi,” Kotone said to me. “That woman with the purple hair kind of scares me.”

 

“That’s my mom,” I replied, blankly. 

 

“I never would have guessed! You two are such opposites.”

 

I cleared my throat and looked down at my notes. “Anyway, I have questions for you regarding the case.”

 

“Why do you even need to ask me questions?” asked Kotone. “I already told you, my uncle killed my dad.”

 

“Why do you keep saying that? Do you have proof? Did you witness the murder?”

 

“Well, no. I know it’s him, though! My uncle was always jealous of my dad, so of course he’d kill him.” 

 

“Your dad didn’t have anybody else who’d try to kill him?”

 

“Nah.”

 

“For someone whose dad was killed, you’re pretty nonchalant.”

 

Kotone’s eyes widened. I thought they were going to pop out of her head. “Wh-What? Are you saying you think  _ I _ killed my own father?”

 

I bit my tongue and scooted my chair further away from her. “No of course not!” I shouted. “I just don’t understand why you haven’t grieved your father’s death!”

 

“It’s because my uncle killed him!” she screeched. “I know he did it so I know my dad will rest in peace! Why don’t you believe me?” 

 

“I do! I believe you! I-”

 

The door to the interrogation room swung open, and my mother walked in. She stood next to me, and I swore the room became colder. She didn’t even glance at me when she said the interrogation was over. I sunk in my chair; I knew I messed up. Kotone got out of her seat and walked out the room. Once she was gone, my mother closed the door. She sat where Kotone sat, and crossed both her arms and legs. 

 

“Kazuki.” I could tell she was looking at me now, however I was too scared to look back. “Kazuki, look at me.” I could only look up to see the bottom of her eyes. “Kazuki, what happened just now?”

 

“I…don’t know,” I replied. 

 

“I think you do know, but you don’t want to tell me.” 

 

“What if she is right though? What if her uncle did kill her dad?”

 

My mother shook her head. “What did we find out about her uncle before the interrogation?”

 

“...He has an alibi.”

 

“What exactly is his alibi?”

 

“...He’s in America for a business trip.”

 

“Correct. Now, Kazuki, please tell me why you told Kotone Sakomoto you believe her uncle is the murderer?”

 

The chill in my back refused to go away. “I...I got emotional.”

 

“Correct. When you’re a detective, you can’t get emotional over cases. You can’t let witnesses or suspects influence you.” After a sigh, my mother continued, “If I would have known she’d be a problem for you, I wouldn’t have put you on this case. I  _ should _ take you off this case.”

 

“I can do this!” I exclaimed. “Please, give me another chance!”

 

Silence flooded the small interrogation room. My mother had closed her eyes in thought before she finally answered, “One more chance and that’s it. You only get this chance as long as you stay away from Kotone Sakomoto.”

 

“I can do that, no problem! Thank you, Mom!”

 

Unfortunately, staying away from Kotone was harder than I had imagined. While my mom was out getting DNA test results and rechecking the scene of the crime, I was to stay at the detective agency and look over the notes and evidence we previously obtained. Staying back at the detective agency was gruesome. I wanted to go into the field with my mother. In such a quiet building, I couldn’t focus on anything. The other reason why I wanted to get out of here, was that Kotone would come into the building whenever my mother was away. 

 

“Hey, Naegi!” Kotone called out. “Naegi!” I tried to pretend she wasn’t there, but she would just come closer to my desk. “Naegi, I found more evidence!”

 

The idea of new evidence was enough for me to lift my head. “You,” I hesitated, “You shouldn’t be here. If my mom finds out you’re talking with me...Listen, if you have new evidence, you should talk to my mom.”

 

“You’re a detective too, right? I can show you my evidence.”

 

“Well, er, I suppose.”

 

“Great!” Kotone slapped a piece of paper down on my desk. “This is proof that my uncle killed my dad!”

 

I bit my lip. “Sakomoto-”

 

“You can call me Kotone.”

 

“...Kotone, your uncle is in America. There’s no way he could have killed your dad.”

 

“My uncle is still guilty!” She slid the paper closer to me. “He hired a hitman. This is the phone number of a hitman. My uncle called this number before he left for America.”

 

“Did you actually call them?”

 

“Of course!”

 

“That’s dangerous!” 

 

“But it proved my uncle’s guilt, right?”

 

“Well, no. There’s no proof this came from your uncle’s home.”

 

“I bet we could find more proof.”

 

“I’ll talk to my mother about it.”

 

“No! You’re a detective, you can go investigating without your mother! Come on, let’s go search my uncle’s house together.”

 

My cheeks began to flush a bright pink. “Together?”

 

“Yes! We can go tonight. How does midnight sound?”

 

“Wait a second, that’s past curfew.”

 

“I’m sure your detective badge can keep you out late.”

 

I really did want to investigate any possible leads. If Kotone was correct that her uncle hired a hitman, then perhaps she was right all along. I was given this opportunity that, at the time, I thought my mother would never have. I was determined to solve a case before my mother. If I could, then perhaps I could prove I was just as good of a detective as she was, if not better.

 

The thought of sneaking out of my house had never come across my mind until that night. When I opened my bedroom window, I felt that the tiniest vibration from movement would wake my mother up. Yet, when I was outside, and when I closed my window, there was no sign of her. I was quite proud of myself for my first attempt of sneaking out of the house to be successful. I clenched my badge tight as I made my way the park, where I’d meet Kotone. 

 

Something about her under the street lights made Kotone prettier, and I thought I was lucky to walk alongside her. I even thought after this case was solved, perhaps I could hold her hand. Kotone was already sweet to me, and she seemed like she wanted to see me succeed in solving this case. With her next to me, I felt as if I could do anything.

 

When we arrived at her uncle’s home, Kotone pulled out a key that opened the front door. At the moment, I found her having a key was strange; I didn’t have a key to my aunt Komaru’s apartment, I thought it was abnormal. 

 

Kotone must have noticed me looking at her strangely, so she replied, “I’m in charge of house-sitting for my uncle while he’s gone.”

 

“Oh, right, of course.”

 

Looking back, Kotone Sakomoto was a very suspicious person, but I was too infatuated with her to realize any flaws in her logic. For instance, she had a key, and had seen the phone number for a hitman. Why didn’t she go to the police with this information before her father died? Why did she only want me to investigate her uncle’s house? I wanted to believe she wasn’t hiding anything from me. 

 

Kotone would lead me around her uncle’s house and would show me things that she thought was evidence. She showed me that in his study, he had a picture of her mother. Kotone said she was sure her uncle was in love with her mother, and killed her dad to get to her. I made note of her statement, just in case it was important. 

 

I tried to investigate somewhere without her, but Kotone grabbed me by the hand and dragged me somewhere else. My legs felt like gelatin when she touched me. I couldn’t help but let her drag me around the house finding whatever she thought was evidence. 

 

To anyone, this was the house of an average businessman. The house was super clean, possibly because he spent so much time at work, he barely had any time to come home and sleep. He was also undoubtedly in love with his sister-in-law, possibly for years. He didn’t have a desktop computer, so I couldn’t look at any internet search histories. I also couldn’t find anything that lead to him finding information on a hitman. Kotone’s uncle looked as if he had no connection to the murder. 

 

Before I parted ways with Kotone, I asked her, “Why do you think your uncle did it? There isn’t any evidence.”

 

“Yes there is.” Kotone leaned against the wall. “He’s in love with my mother; he’s loved her before she married my dad. My dad was always better than him, and got everything my uncle wanted. My uncle is weak, so of course he’d hire a hitman to kill him.” Before I could reply, Kotone said, “Hey, if you prove my uncle’s guilty, I’ll give you a kiss,” She then placed a finger on my lips, “right here.”

 

“I, uh, okay.”

 

Kotone winked at me, and before we parted ways, she said, “I’ll see you tomorrow, my detective.”

 

Somehow, sneaking back into my room was easier than sneaking out. All the lights at my house were still out, and when I climbed into my room from my window, the house was still. As I changed into my pajamas, I began to come up with what I was going to say to prove Kotone’s uncle’s guilt. I thought about how smug I would look as I proved to be correct, and I couldn’t wait to see how shocked my mother would be. I even thought about my great-grandfather saying he was wrong about me, and how proud he was.

 

All my confidence escaped through the window when I heard a knock on my door. I froze where I stood, and didn’t answer. I had really hoped the person behind the door was either my dad or my sister, but I  _ knew _ who really was there. Immediately, my heart sank.

 

“When you’re done changing,” my mother said from the other side of the door, “I’d like to talk to you.”

 

I don’t know how my mom found out I had snuck out of the house. I thought I was quieter than a mouse! However, she knew when I had left, and when I had come home. I sat at the end of my bed, while she sat in my desk chair. Once again, I found myself unable to look at her. I could tell she was furious with me. 

 

“Where were you?” she asked. 

 

“I was just, um, going for a walk.”

 

“You went on a walk past curfew for three hours. Don’t lie to me.” 

 

“Okay...I was out investigating.”

 

“You were out investigating with Kotone Sakomoto.”

 

“What? I-”

 

“Kazuki, didn’t I tell you to stay away from her during this investigation?”

 

“She said I’m the only one she can trust.”

 

“That’s because she knows she can manipulate you.”

 

“But why would she do that?”

 

“To keep you away from the truth.”

 

“But her uncle. He had a phone number for a hitman-”

 

“The one you left on your desk? Kotone Sakomoto wrote that number.”

 

“Her uncle is in love with her mother! So he’d want him dead to be with her!”

 

“You didn’t look into the marriage.”

 

“Kotone’s uncle is the murderer!”

 

“Kotone’s  _ mother _ is the murderer, and Kotone knows it.”

 

At that moment, I felt like time had stopped. Nothing had made sense to me anymore. “No, you’re wrong!”

 

“If you actually looked at the notes and evidence as I advised you to, you would have figured it out. You would know just how everything points to his wife.”

 

“But how did Kotone know?”

 

“The way she has behaved has led me to believe she knew her mother was the killer. Considering she tried to throw us off her mother’s trail, either she was in on the murder, or her mother is threatening her.”

 

“So then I’ll talk to Kotone! I’ll get her to confess. I’ll-”

 

“You’re not doing anything, Kazuki. You’re done with this case.”

 


	4. Chapter 4

Yuichi Sakomoto’s wife was arrested for murder the next morning. I had the glory of having my mother coerce her into confessing. There was just something about the way my mother talked, and the blank look she’d always give that would put anyone into a corner and confess. Fifteen minutes passed, and my mother had her confession. 

 

My heart sank when it came for Kotone’s confession. I was scared to think she had some part of her father’s murder. When she was in the room with my mother, that was the first time I had seen her cry over the death of her father. She confessed she knew her mother did it, however her mother threatened Kotone’s life if she didn’t try to steer the detectives away from the truth. I wish I never heard that I was being used by her. 

 

In exchange for her confession, Kotone was free to go. Before she had left the building, she passed by me. Both of our bodies froze as we looked at each other’s eyes. I tried to be like my mother, and hide the feeling of heartbreak, but I’m sure she could tell I was hurt. 

 

With tears in her eyes, Kotone said, “I’m sorry, Naegi.” 

 

After she left, I never saw Kotone Sakomoto again. Supposedly, she’s living with a family member west of the country. 

 

For a while, I stopped going to the detective agency after school. I was afraid of going on another case; I didn’t want to disappoint my mother and bring disgrace to our name once again. I screwed up my first case as a detective, and I was pretty sure that would be my last case. I couldn’t bear to hear my great-grandfather say “What a disappointment,” once again. I couldn’t bear to see my mother look so angry at me again. 

 

I laid in bed with my DSC ID card in my hands. My years of training were nothing but a waste; my dream of being a detective was nothing but a childhood fantasy. I was never going to be as good of a detective as my mother. I was pretty sure this ID card of mine was given to me out of pity. 

 

In a fit of rage, I got out of bed, and threw the ID card out the window. I figured my life would be better if I lived the life of a regular student. I didn’t like not being a detective, but I thought this way, I wouldn’t be a big disappointment. 

 

A few moments later, there was a knock on my bedroom door, followed by my father entering the room. Normally his smile could make anybody happy, but I was too depressed for my lips to crack. 

 

“Hey, Kazuki,” he said while he closed the door.

 

“Hey, Dad. What do you want?”

 

“Well, I just got home, and I happened to notice something fly out of your room.” I looked over at him, and saw my father holding my ID card. “What’s wrong?”

 

I couldn’t lie to him since he saw me throw the card. “I don’t want to be a detective anymore.”

 

My dad gestered me to sit back down on my bed next to him. “Is this because that one case?” I hesitantly nodded. “This isn’t like you, Kazuki; you never give up after your first try.”

 

“I got emotionally invested in the case and lost sight of everything. Mom took me off the case because of it. It’ll happen again; I just know it. I can’t be like Mom and stand there with a straight face. I can’t be like her, so what’s the point of trying?”

 

Despite my words, my father continued to smile. “You know, ever since you started talking, you said you wanted to be like your mother. I still remember when you took her gloves and ran around the house saying you were ‘just like mama’.”

 

I had to look away from my dad to conceal my embarrassment. “Your point?”

 

“You’re always comparing yourself to her. Kazuki, you’re not Kyoko, and you’re never going to be Kyoko.”

 

“How is this supposed to cheer me up?”

 

“Let me finish.” My dad put a hand on my back. “You’re not Kyoko, because you’re Kazuki.”

 

“And I should be proud of that?”

 

“Of course you should be!”

 

“Mom kicked me off the case. I think anyone would be ashamed of being me.”

 

“It was your first case, Kazuki. You’re not going to be perfect. You didn’t know what was going to happen.”

 

“It’ll just keep happening.”

 

“You don’t know that.”

 

“Mom said it was a mistake to put me on that case.”

 

“She didn’t know what was going to happen to you, either. Your mother is an amazing detective for sure, but like everybody else in the world, she isn’t perfect at everything.”

 

“I’m a disappointment to her.”

 

“Not once has she said to you or me that she’s disappointed in you. Kazuki, when she told me you were registered in the DSC, she couldn’t stop smiling. She told me she was proud of how far you’ve come, and she couldn’t wait for you to work alongside her.”

 

“How does she feel about me now?”

 

My father’s smile faded away. “Honestly, she blames herself for what happened. She thinks she might have overreacted when she took you off the case. She’s not mad or disappointed in you.”

 

“You sure about that?”

 

“If you don’t believe me, you can ask her yourself.” My father’s smile returned. “She should be home soon.” 

 

“Am I really...worthy of being a detective?”

 

“I think so! You said you wanted to be a detective, you worked hard, and now you are one! Don’t let one bad experience change your mind.” My father pulled me into a hug and said, “I’m proud of you, Kazuki.” 

 

“Thanks, Dad…”

 

When my mother came home, the first thing she did was talk to me. Despite what my father had said, I still felt like a failure and a disappointment. I didn’t believe that my mother was still proud of me after what happened. Part of me wanted her to throw my ID in a paper shredder. I felt sick wondering what she was going to tell me. 

 

“Kazuki,” she began, “I’m sorry.” 

 

Of course she was sorry. She was sorry to have me as a son, and that she even trained me to be a detective.

 

“I’m sorry I took you off the case.”

 

I looked at her, confused. “I was out of line,” I replied. 

 

“Yes, but I should have talked you through the case. Instead, I jumped the gun. It won’t happen again.”

 

“It’s not going to happen again, cause I’m not gonna be a detective anymore.”

 

My mother folded her arms and shook her head. “It’s sad to hear that, considering how skilled you are.”

 

“You’re just saying that to make me feel better.”

 

“I wouldn’t lie about that, Kazuki. You  _ are _ skilled. You’re a fifteen-year-old detective. You got emotional but that’s...something I can’t fault you for.”

 

“It won’t get any better.”

 

“Not unless you work at it. It’s difficult not to get emotional on the first case. Kazuki, I would like you to continue working alongside me.” 

 

“Why?”

 

“I already said why. You’re skilled. You’re smart and can figure things out fast when you put your mind to it. I have faith in you. ”

 

I watched my mother as she placed my ID card onto my desk. “I can’t choose your future for you. For now, take a while to think about what you want to do. No matter what you choose, I’ll always be proud of you.”

 

My mother left my room after that. After a minute or two passed, I got off my bed and walked over to my desk. I picked up my ID card and focused on its limited features. I looked at my out-of-date photo with my bangs that almost covered my eyes. I saw how my name seemed to glisten in the light. I focused on my DSC number more than anything else on the card. I didn’t know what I wanted to do. 

 

* * *

 

Being the son of a detective can get interesting. When you’re also a detective, that can make things more interesting. I still get surprised when my mother pulls me out of class to investigate a new case. Even so, I don’t think I would want it any other way.

 

My mother gave me a quick rundown of the next case while she drove us to the scene of the crime. When you become a homicide detective, you learn that every case will be heartbreaking. No matter who it was that died, I couldn’t help but feel sad for them and their family. However, that’s just part of the job. 

 

My heart was ready to split in two when we got to the crime scene. I saw a mother mourning with her five-year-old child over the death of her husband. Their pain motivated me to solve this case as fast as I could, but I wouldn’t let myself get carried away. 

 

“Are you coming?” my mother asked as she crossed the police tape. 

 

I looked over towards the mother and child once again. “In a few,” I replied. 

 

I made my way over towards the two. “I’m sorry for your loss,” I said. “I’ll be sure the person responsible will be found and brought to justice.”

 

The woman wiped her tears away before she spoke back. “Are, are you one of the detectives?”

 

With confidence, I replied. “Yes. I’m detective Kazuki Naegi.”


End file.
